Foldable baby stroller



Nov. 4, 1952 R. cl HEIDEMAN 2,616,718

FOLDABLE BABY STROLLER Filed Dec. 30, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V ENTOR. 205E276. Meme-MAN,

BY fiwrlx 1952 R. c. HEIDEMAN FOLDABLE BABY STROLLER Filed Dec. 50, 19493 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. 055 476. fie/054mm flrroemsys.

1952 R. c. HEIDEMAN 2,616,718

FOLDABLE BABY STROLLER Filed Dec. 30, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 fire. Z].

v IN V EN TOR. a 9055?: C. A EmE/WYN,

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 EOLDABLE BABY STROLLERv Robert G. Heid'eman, LosAngeles, Calif'., assignor to American- Carry-Products Company, Inc., North. Hollywood, Calit, a corporation of Cali fornia' ApplicationDecember 30, 1949, Serial N 0. 136,004

&Claims.

My invention rel'atesto baby strollers and constitutes acontinuation-*in-part of mycopending applicationSerial No. 89,446, filedApril 25', 1949, nowabandoned. Included in the objects of my inventionarer First, toprovide a baby-stroller which-may be folded for storage oropened for usebysimple manipulations capable of. being performed whenone iszencumbered by a small child;

Second, to provide. a baby stroller which is particularly lightweightand which folds fiatwise and on. being folded is reduced. in lengthtoform aparticularly compact flatunit: easily stored in a small space or:carried. in crowded. places such as buses; street cars,or: other. publicvehicles. Third; .to providea baby'strollerwhich onfolding: maintainsthefront wheels inoperative position so that the strollermay be wheeledinstead of: being: carried.

Fourth, to provide a: babystroller. whichgincorporates;v a novellyarranged framework structure and means for pivotally suspending a: seattherein. to facilitate foldingzthe seat being. re-

tained in ahorizontal: position when. the device as it appears whenfolded, the portion of the folded seat structure being broken away toillustrate the framework.

Fig. 2 is a sideview. ofv thebaby strollerin its folded position- Fig.3. is a, sectional view thereofithrough 3 -3 i of Fig-1.

Fig. 4. is aperspective view of the. baby stroller inits open-position.

5 is a sectional view thereof; in its open position, the section beingtaken in the plan 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view talrensubstantiallyin theplan 66 of Fig. 4.

Fig; 7 is a transverse sectional view" through 'I'-'| of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through B--B Of Fig; 5.

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional viewthereof taken through I2----l 2 ofFig. 9'.

Fig. 13- is another sectional viewtaken through My baby strollerincludesabase frame I formed of tubular material and bent into u-f'orm. The legsof the'base frame carry a front axle 2 located adjacent the crossportion of the frame and a rear axle 3 located near the extremities ofthe frame. The axles are provided with wheels 4.

The forward portion of the base frame supports a platform 5. Theplatform may be supported by its margins in a slit or series of slitscutinto the confronting sides of the frame. The rear edge of theplatform 5 is provided with a reinforcing flange 6. A tread or pad 1' iscemented to the top of the platform.

Pivotally carried by the front axle 2 outwardly of the base frame I is apair of struts 8 in the form of solid rods; Thestruts 8 telescope intothe ends of a U-shaped' handle frame 9. At the telescoping extremitiesof the handle frame 9 there are provided fittings I'D. Each fitting isformed from sheet metal and rolled to form .a tube or collarencompassing the handle frame, the extremities of the fitting beingformed into confronting boss portions I 1 reinforced by ribs l2. A leafspring [3-, is secured between the rib portions and protrudes from thefitting, the protruding portion being disposed flatwise relative to thestrut 8. The extremity of the leaf spring is provided with a loop memberM which surrounds the strut 8. An internal pin 15 isprovided at the sideof the loop joined to the leaf spring, which pin is adapted to enterasocket to in the strut to latch the strut in its: extended positionrelative to the handle frame.

The boss portions H receive journal pins l6 to which are pivotallyconnected struts l1 which Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section view similarto r Fig; 6 showing a modified form of" latch means, I

Fig. 11 is a front view of the latch means taken. along the plan H-H ofFig. 9'.

extend rearwardly and are pivotally carried by the rear axle 3, thestruts l1 joining the axle immediately within the extremities of thebase frame. Brace members 18' extend from the rear axle 3 to themid-portions of the brace frame. The struts I'I may. be bent-slightly attheir midportions so as to facilitate folding the baby stroller.

The journal pins It also support a seat frame IS. The seat frame is aU-shaped-tubular-structure with. the cross portion directed forwardly.The seat framesupports a seat structure 20 which includes a bottom 21.formed. of two plies of cloth between which is inserted a reinforcingplate 22. The side members 23. also of cloth, are provided with hemsattheir-'upper-extremities into which.

are inserted the arms of the seat frame is. The journal pins I6 extendthrough the material of the side members so that the seat structure isheld in place.

The seat structure also includes a back member 24 of fabric, the upperend of which is provided with a hem to receive a cross bar 25, theextremities of which are secured in the sides of the handle frame 9.Attached to the back member 24 are depending anchor straps 2% which arelooped around the rear axle 3.

If desired, a bag 2i may be suspended from the cross bar 25 behind theback member 24.

A retainer strap 28 extends from the central portion of the forward edgeof the seat bottom 2| and is looped around the cross portion of the seatframe I9.

When it is desired to fold the baby stroller from its operating positionshown in Figs. 4 and 5 to its position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, theloops M are pressed upwardly and forwardly to release the pins IS. Thestruts 8 readily telescope into the handle frame 9, causing the rearstruts i! to pivot forwardly and downwardly so that the frame structureis not only folded fiatwise but is shortened to a compact unit. The seatstructure being formed of cloth, readily collapses and overlies theplatform 5. The handle frame projects a short distance beyond the rearwheels and is preferably bent slightly in the region opposite thewheels, so that the cross portion of the handle is disposed in alignmentwith the center of gravity of the folded device; thus on carrying thedevice by the handle the baby stroller tends to hang vertically. It willbe noted that the extremities of the base frame and seat frame arewithin the boundaries of the forward wheels so that the device may bewheeled after it has been collapsed.

A belt and buckle means 36 may be secured to the back member 24 withinthe side members 23.

Reference is now directed to Figures 9 to 13, which disclose a modifiedform of fitting and latch means between the struts 8, handle frame 9 andstruts H. In the previously described structure, two hands are sometimesrequired in order to lift simultaneously the loop members M. In themodified structure this operation may be carried out with one hand by aperson encumbered with a baby. In the modified arrangement a loop member3! is substituted for the loop member H4 at the extremity of the springis. The loop member includes overlapping extremities which are securedby the reduced riveted end of a pin 32 which replaces the pin it; and isadapted to enter the socket 8a provided in the strut 3.

One extremity of the loop member 3i secured by the pin 32 extendsforwardly or downwardly in the direction of the strut 8, and its sidemargins are folded upwardly or outwardly to form a bracket 33 ofchannel-shaped cross-section. The bracket 33 receives a journal pin 3 onwhich is mounted a thumb lever 35. The thumb lever includes achannel-shaped cam arm 36, which bears against the strut 8, and a thumbplate 31 which extends outwardly.

The thumb lever 35 is so arranged that it may be pivoted from theposition shown in Fig. 9 to the position shown in Fig. 10 and cause itscam arm 36 to engage the strut S and withdraw the pin 32 from the socket8a. In so doing, the cam arm 36 urges the strut B into the tube 9, sothat the pin 32 is displaced from the socket Thus, in order to fold thebaby stroller, the thumb levers are engaged in sequence, and then thehandle frame 9 is pushed downwardly on the struts 8 to collapse thestructure. When unfolding the structure, the handle frame rides upwardlywith respect to the struts 8 and such movement automatically returns thethumb levers 35 to their original position shown in Fig. 9.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A baby stroller, involving: a base frame, a longitudinallycollapsible handle frame pivotally connected to the forward end of saidbase frame; struts pivotally connected between the rear end of said baseframe and to the mid-portion of said handle frame, said frames andstruts movable between a collapsed position of substantial parallelismand an extended angular position; a seat unit including a rigid seatframe and a collapsible seat member pivotally supported by said handleframe adjacent its connections with said struts; and said seat unitincluding a collapsible back member and retainer straps extendingbetween the remote extremity of said handle member and said base framein the region of the connections between said base frame and struts.

2. A baby stroller, involving: a frame structure including a base frame,forward and rearward struts pivotally connected thereto, a handle frametelescopically connected with said forward struts, and fittingspivotally connecting said rear struts and handle frame at itstelescoping extremities whereby said frame structure may be folded withsaid frames and struts in substantial parallelism and extended with saidstruts and base frame defining a triangle and said handle frameprojecting upwardly in the plane of said forward struts; and a seatstructure including a seat frame pivotally carried by said fittings, aseat member suspended from said seat frame, a back member connected withsaid handle frame, and retainer means connected with said base frame,said seat structure foldable flatwise with said frame structure.

3. A baby stroller, involving: a frame structure including a base frame,forward and rearward struts pivotally connected thereto, to formtriangular truss units, a pivotal and slidable con necting means joiningsaid struts and including latch means to restrain said truss unitsagainst collapse; a handle means extending from said frame structure; aseat structure pivotally suspended between said connecting means;retainer means incorporating said seat structure and extending betweensaid handle means and base frame; and said frame and seat structuresmovable by collapse and expansion of said truss units between a nestedposition and an extended position, in which latter position saidretainer means restrains said seat structure against pivotal movement.

4. A baby stroller, involving: a frame structure including a base frame,forward and rearward struts pivotally connected thereto, a handle frametelescopically connected with said forward struts, and fittingspivotally connecting said rear struts and handle frame at itstelescoping extremities whereby said frame structure may be folded withsaid frames and struts in substantial parallelism and extended with saidstruts and base frame defining a triangle and said handle frameprojecting upwardly in the plane of said forward struts; a seatstructure pivotally suspended between said fittings; and foldableretainer means extending between saidv handle frame and incorporatingsaid seat structure and said base frame, said retainer means beingplaced under tension when said frame structure is extended to restrainsaid seat structure in a horizontal position.

5. A baby stroller, involving: a base frame; a handle structureincluding a U-shaped handle and telescoping struts, said struts beingpivotally connected to said base frame; fittings for latching saidhandle in an extended position on said struts; braces pivotallyconnected to the strut-receiving extremities of said handle and to saidbase frame, said struts, braces, handle and base frame adapted onrelease of said latch means to fold flatwise into substantialparallelism; and a seat structure including a seat frame pivotallycarried by said fittings, a seat member suspended from said seat frame,a back member connected with said handle frame, and retainer meansconnected with said base frame, said seat structure foldable flatwisewith said frame structure.

6. A baby stroller, involving: a base frame; a handle structureincluding a U-shaped handle and telescoping struts, said struts beingpivotally connected to said base frame; fittings for latching saidhandle in an extended position on said struts; braces pivotallyconnected to the strutreceiving extremities of said handle and to saidbase frame, said struts, braces, handle and base frame adapted onrelease of said latch means to fold flatwise into substantialparallelism; a seat structure pivotally suspended between said fittings;and foldable retainer means extending between said handle frame andincorporating saidv seat structure and said base frame, said retainermeans being placed under tension when said frame structure is extendedto restrain said seat structure in a horizontal position.

7. A baby stroller, involving: a base frame; forward and rearward strutspivotally connected to the corners of said base frame; fittingspivotally joining said forward and rear struts; said struts and baseframe defining triangular truss units; means incorporating a side ofeach triangular truss unit to permit folding of said truss unit andbring the other sides thereof into substantially coplanar relation; aseat frame pivotally supported between said fittings; a foldable seatmember suspended from said seat frame; a handle extending rearwardly andupwardly from said forward struts; and tension members extending betweensaid handle and the rear end of said base frame, said tension membersforming in part the back of said seat member to restrain said seatagainst pivotal movement when said truss units are extended.

8. A baby stroller, involving: a frame structure including a base frame,forward and rearward struts pivotally connected thereto; a handle frametelescopically connected with said forward struts; fittings pivotallyconnecting said rear strut and handle frame at its telescopingextremities whereby said frame structure may be folded on telescopingsaid forward struts and handle frame; latch pin means carried by saidfittings and engageable with said forward struts to secure said framestructure in its extended position; manually operable means forrendering said latch pin means inoperative to permit folding of saidframe structure; and a seat structure pivotally suspended in said framestructure between said fittings.

RQBERT C. HEIDEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis :patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 157,085 Pinkerton Jan. 31,1950 1,482,146 Pomilio Jan. 29, 1924 2,452,929 Holcomb Nov. 2, 1948

